european southern observatory
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Astronomers Spot Two Supermassive Black Holes on a Collision Course
Through a standard telescope, the nearby galaxy NGC 7727 looks like a gossamer tumbleweed drifting in the night sky. But within it are two supermassive black holes locked in a dance that will end with their violent merger. As a team of astronomers recently found, these objects are closer to Earth than any other supermassive…
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Very Large Telescope Images 42 of the Biggest Asteroids in Our Solar System
Though not as massive or colourful as planets, asteroids have a lot to teach us about our local corner of the universe. That’s especially the case for asteroids close enough to be sampled — such as Bennu was in October 2020 — or when rocky fragments fall to Earth as meteorites.
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Oh Yeah, Betelgeuse Is Definitely Looking Weirder
At this point, we’re all crossing our fingers that the dying star Betelgeuse will hurry up and explode already, because who doesn’t love a good show? The red giant star (visible in the constellation Orion) has been growing dimmer since late last year, leading many to speculate it could soon go supernova. Scientists operating the…
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Ceres’ Bright Spots Are Changing
For over a year, Ceres’ bright spots have dazzled astronomers and the space-loving public alike. The glimmers became a little less mysterious in December, when we learned that they’re essentially giant piles of salt. But now, ground-based observations are adding another fascinating wrinkle to the story.